For those of you who have been waiting
for the Hold Steady to start playing live
again, the wait is over. Craig, Tad, Moustache
Guy, and everyone else will be spending
most of February travelling around the
southern-most part of the U.S. on a winter
holiday tour of the warmest part of the
country.

Very wise if you're a northerner, as
the band resides in New York (and some
members even have roots in the frozen
tundra of the northern midwest). The south
makes a great get away, and hey, a Hold
Steady gig can be a drunken holiday of
its own.

After that, the band will go all the
way down to Australia to see if Bart Simpson's
theory of the toilets flushing in a different
direction in Australia is really true.
Of course, they'll fit in a few gigs while
they're there.

And those of you who go to the shows,
you'll hear new music from the band. A
statement on the band's web site says
"We've been mainly writing for our
new record, which will come out at some
point this year. The new songs are spilling
out and we will be playing a lot of them
on our upcoming tour."

The U.S. dates get various combinations
of opening acts Swearing At Motorists,
Plastic Constellations, and Les Savy Fav;
and while in Australia Les Savy Fav and
Thunderbirds Are Now! Will! Share! Opening!
Duties!